Page 102 of His Wild Mate

He would never hurt me again, but I knew what I'd done and that in order to survive, I'd just given up any chance at happiness.

I could never return to Collier Pack.

I could never return to Emmett.

Climbing up the ladder, I forced the hatch open and pulled myself up and into the room above. It was colder here, but I was away from the blood and dead body of Eugene, my stalker.

I cowered in the corner, burying my face in my hands, and cried as I mourned the loss of my mate and a life I could have been proud of.

Emmett

Chapter 25

“How are you holding up?” Thomas asked me.

“Do I look okay?”

“You look like shit.”

“You have to let me get out there and find her. I know I'm not your best tracker, but she's my mate. I could find her anywhere.” I had to believe that was true.

“Are you sure you can handle it?”

“I've calmed down. You've ensured it.”

I was still angry with him for it, but now wasn't the time to air my grievances. Paige was out there with this lunatic. I didn't want to just sit here and let everyone else do my job.

Walker and James returned and soon Linc, Wyatt, and Clay did too. The bears had already come back, which meant there was no one searching for my mate.

I growled.

“Simmer down. After examining the vehicle and the area, we have cause to believe they haven't left the mountain,” Walker explained.

A spark of hope ignited in my chest.

“You're familiar with this place, right?”

I nodded.

“Is there anywhere you can think of that he could have taken her, maybe further down the mountain?”

“There’s the shed where the owner stores his snow blower, plow, and gear. It's towards the base of the mountain so in storms he can get to it and clear the road up to the cabin. And there's two fire towers on the mountain from before he bought the land. He's never removed them as far as I know.”

“That's good. Can you point them out on a map?”

“Maybe. My dad could.”

“Ernie, can you come here and help?” Thomas asked.

My father rushed over. “Whatever you need.”

They got to work formulating a plan to check each location. With Thomas's approval, I was assigned to the team headed down the mountain to the storage shed. He wasn't going to leave my side.

When they told me he'd left the mountain with Paige, I feared the worst and had no idea how we were going to find them. But now there was hope again, and I impatiently rushed them along. I desperately needed to do something, anything. The void in my chest caused a desperation I’d never known.

Paige, where the hell are you?

She had to be okay because I couldn't tolerate any other thought.

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